Spa seals new F1 deal for 2007
(GMMf1NET -- Feb.10) Despite getting the axe for 2006, F1's highly
popular Belgian grand prix has penned a new five year contract with
Bernie Ecclestone to return Spa Francorchamps to the calendar.

The deal will run between 2007 and 2011, according to the Belgian
public broadcaster RTBF, quoting local politician Jean-Claude Marcourt.

Marcourt, who is the Wallonian region's economics minister, said the
agreement would cost the government $7m per year, with about $3m
raised with sponsorship.

The sport's governing body, however, cited track renovations as the
reason for the removal of the 2006 race, adding in a statement that it
'hopes ... the event will be included once again ... from 2007
onwards.'

But Marcourt explained that the 2007-2011 F1 deal is not entirely
official, with the agreement still needing to be ratified in
parliament. The Wallonian parliament is expected to debate the issue
as soon as next week.

But although putting both Tiago Monteiro and Christijan Albers in the
shade, and although the car looks almost identical to the 2005 Red
Bull, Vitantonio Liuzzi felt something different about his 'STR01'.

''The (Cosworth) engine,'' the Italian - who broke down once -
admitted. ''It makes a strange noise, has less power and the power
band is in a different place to what I was used to.''

Despite earlier promise about Mercedes' new V8, Kimi Raikkonen
continued to languish in the midfield with the 2006 McLaren. The Finn
spent much of the day having a gearbox and leaky V8 unit repaired.

Still quick, though, was Renault, although Fernando Alonso left the
running to Giancarlo Fisichella after Thursday's wing fault.

Toyota, meanwhile, confirmed that its Bahrain-spec package will be
tried next week, at the rarely-used Vallelunga circuit (Italy).

''At the moment we are not that quick,'' Jarno Trulli confessed at
Jerez, ''but we know that we are getting this major step next week.''

Intensifying speculation about Renault's future on the grid, Brazilian
Carlos Ghosn - nicknamed 'Le Cost Cutter' after his recent stint at
Nissan - told a news conference that the team was only committed for
the current 2006 season.

The 51-year-old said: ''We're going to see how things go year by year.
The day it is no longer a good investment for Renault, we go.''

Ghosn also suggested that changes to F1's rules in 2008 would be
pivotal to the decision to either keep racing or quit.

Honda's concern with V8 engine
(GMMf1NET -- Feb.10) Although impressive on the test timesheets this
winter, reports have identified Honda's V8 engine as a weak point of
the 'RA106' package.

At Jerez on Thursday, Jenson Button continued the trend of recent
track sessions, getting his off-white 2006 racer to within a few
tenths of the leading Renault.

But Honda's engineering director, Shuhei Nakamoto, admitted in Spain
that the Japanese element of the team has identified 'some issues'
with the 2.4 litre power plant this week.

He said: ''Overall we are in good shape.

''We will have some new improvements on the engine next week that we
will be running in Bahrain.''

Industry analysts believe that Renault has probably done the best job
with its 90-degree V8 for 2006, although Cosworth's engine - mounted
in the FW28 Williams - is also so far surpassing expectations.

Spain heads for grand prix sellout
(GMMf1NET -- Feb.10) A new grandstand will be unveiled at Circuit de
Catalunya, the Spanish grand prix venue near Barcelona has announced.

Near the 'Seat' corner, 'Grandstand P' will accommodate another 3,800
fans, as Spain continues to revel in the popularity of new world
champion Fernando Alonso.

Indeed, 70,000 grandstand and general admission tickets are already
nearly sold out, despite Circuit de Catalunya expanding the capacity
of the track by 8,000 spots for 2006.

Drivers may complain about the power loss, but the bare statistics are
telling a different story.

Take, for example, Sauber.

With the V10 Ferrari-powered C24 in July 2005, Felipe Massa clocked a
best time at Jerez of about 1m17secs.

Albeit now owned and powered by BMW, Nick Heidfeld - at the wheel of
the '06-spec 'F1.06' on Wednesday - powered around the same Spanish
track with a best lap time of 1m17.5secs; just half a second slower.

In the rear of the car, of course, is a V8.

There are a few explanations for this. First, the new Sauber is
inherently a better car. But while the V8s output less power, they are
also smaller, giving more freedom for the work of aerodynamicists.

Moreover, a V8 runs cooler than a V10, allowing for gains in the
cooling departments - such as side pod size - and therefore better
weight distribution via ballast through lighter parts.

And, of course, 2006's tyre regulations are actually increasing
mid-corner speeds, because the shorter-life boots are softer and
therefore more adhesive.

''We are as quick with the V8 motor,'' BMW Sauber's Jacques Villeneuve
confirmed to Swiss newspaper Blick, ''as we were with the old Sauber
with a V10.''

The 46-year-old Austrian, who has exchanged half of his late father's
shipping company for half of friend Dietrich Mateschitz's 'Scuderia
Toro Rosso' outfit, is apparently travelling to Spain to watch Scott
Speed make his debut in the new 'STR01' at Jerez.

Berger, the veteran of 210 grands prix and 10 wins, withdrew from his
role as joint BMW motor sport director in 2003, but is expected to
once again attend most races.

He told the 'Austria Presse Agentur' news agency that the Red Bull
deal was only cooked up in the 'last few days'.

Berger said former BMW colleague Franz Tost would remain Toro Rosso's
2006 team principal, but vowed to work 'closely' with him.

''It is my responsibility,'' Gerhard explained, ''to assist in guiding
my team in the right direction.''

'Doctor Brawn'
(GMMf1NET -- Feb.10) Brunel University, on the outskirts of London,
has given Ferrari's Ross Brawn an honorary doctorate in engineering.

The university, formerly a technical college, is known for offering a
degree in 'motor sport engineering'.

Manchester-born Brawn, 51 and technical director for the Italian
formula one team, actually trained in the atomic industry in the early
70s, before getting his first job in motor sport as a machine
operator.

Renault's team principal, who denounced formula one in the mid-1980s,
started out on the Italian stock exchange before running the Benetton
fashion company.

But, having graduated to the Italian label's Enstone based formula one
team (later bought by Renault), Briatore soon tasted the thrill of
high level competition -- even if the smells of burning fuel and smoke
still do not stoke 55-year-old 'Flav'.

''If this was just any old business, I think I would have left it by
now,'' Briatore told 'Auto Motor und Sport' magazine, whose latest
edition went on sale on Friday.

''But do you know what feeds my passion? Beating people like Ron
Dennis at the race tracks.''

Despite a less competitive car and a lower budget, Briatore's Renault
won the drivers' and constructors' world title double in 2005, ahead
of Dennis-led McLaren.

Dennis, who recently stirred Briatore's fury by announcing that
Fernando Alonso would move to McLaren in 2007, made his first mark in
motor sport at the age of 16, when he swept the floor as an apprentice
mechanic for the formula two Cooper team.

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